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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#134: Look Up

This Friday, the 18th of February, marks the 92nd anniversary of Pluto being discovered — and though it’s no longer considered ‘big enough’ to be an official planet, it will always have a big place in our hearts. With it’s hot-to-cold cycles and snow-capped mountains, this almost-planet almost looks like home. (That said, we still wouldn’t recommend it for your next vacation!)

To mark the occasion, this week’s prompts are a love letter to our favorite forgotten planet, and the spirit of discovery in general.

This week's prompts

Your character, by chance or habit, peers through a telescope. They see something unusual — what is it?

Dystopian – 53 stories

Set your story beyond our own world.

Science Fiction – 50 stories

Write about a character who has a ‘hot and cold’ personality — or is affected by someone like this.

Character – 30 stories

End your story with a character looking out on a new horizon.

Narrative – 63 stories

Write from the POV of someone, or something, that experiences gravity differently.

Science Fiction – 27 stories

Stories

“House that Moved ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #134

House that Moved Well into an eerie evening, as twin suns withdrew light from hills appearing to encroach air whispered, here comes night, beware! Sitting on verandas, mesmerised by views off into thick trees, unhindered by walls of scrubs were hikers and their leader. Close together, enforcing one another against a sense of isolation dusky surroundings evoked. The National Parks, established to preserve first nation’s lands, even on this planet, circled settlement fringes, only a short distance from their hostel now serving as a begin...

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“The Pioneer” by J.M. North

Submitted to Contest #134

Did it dream of red sands and a barren land where nothing blooms? The Pioneer knew it didn’t belong here. Not in this dusty, shallow grave that cradled its body of steel. Once, its purpose had driven it here, even if that purpose was now long forgotten. Something had woken it from its sleep. A call echoed somewhere deep within its mind—a wordless demand it couldn’t quite decipher. The Pioneer stretched its jointed fingers, ones that rough winds had barraged, eroding away the protective shell until only bare metal remained. Now, there was onl...

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“The odyssey” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #134

“Sirah, Sirah,” a distant voice called her name.Sirah tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids were not in her command. They were heavy as if they were made of lead.“Sirah.”She heard her name again. Sirah was too exhausted to care and wanted to go back to sleep. She didn’t recall when she retired to bed. She had possibly had a good long sleep, but her weary body was still craving for slumber.“Wake up, Sirah,” the voice called again.“Who is calling my name?” Sirah asked herself. She didn’t recognize the voice. She was too tired to think straig...

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“The Universe of James Doyle” by MichElle Colpo

Submitted to Contest #134

James Doyle scratched the nape of his thick neck, the jagged ends of his bitten fingernails prickling his skin uncomfortably. Dr. Marron was watching him from the screen, patiently waiting for his reply. “James,” Dr. Marron spoke quietly, although the speakers surrounding him made his words echo loudly throughout the chamber, “It is impertinent you state you understand.” “What does it matter,” he retorted to the m...

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“Hooked” by Art Vee

Submitted to Contest #134

August was sitting on the waiting shed.She had both ears occupied with headphones, fingers tapping beside her, dancing in a slow staccato along with the thumps of her heart. She didn’t even like the song that much, not really. Not on her very first listen, nor her second, nor the many times that came after it. But August still gave it a chance just in case, because she wasn’t the one who gave up so easy. And because it was one of Rachel’s favorite songs.Rachel.Where are you, Rachel?August looked down at her crossed feet. The song was beginni...

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“Thank you for being there when I didn't need you” by Juliane Enggård Nebel

Submitted to Contest #134

Dear Marie, We went shopping today. I held your clothes as you tried them on. Hours passed this way, walking in and out of shops, laughing, talking and buying. Afterwards we went to the nearest McDonalds and ate. Somehow the place always brings out feelings for us. It was here you told me about your abusive mother for the first time, and it was here that I told you that I was gay. Almost every time we had been here since, it ended in deep talks and tears. This time we talked about your traumas, specifically the one with Markus. It had been a...

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“The land of Fire and Ice” by Marnie Schmidt

Submitted to Contest #134

Note: There is one mention of the word crack head and self-harm when Tamara is tired and annoyed with Casey.CaseyThe 16-year-old boy screamed infuriated at his worn out and sweaty carer. He shrieked again this time piercing the delicate ear drums of anyone in the small apartment building. Tamara (the carer) held up her hands to try and placate Casey. Tears streamed down his face as his throat and head began to ache monumentally and his chiseled face started turning a bright red. With a deep guttural wail Casey lashed out and with his sh...

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“Our Own Horizon” by Dakota Carpenter

Submitted to Contest #134

I wanted something different; but this, this is an opportunity that is equal to a coin flip. It’s hard to make out anything clearly here. I couldn't tell you the color of a single particle here. Light gray and darker grays, that’s it. I wouldn't touch anything closest to black, that I've learned from a quite difficult situation. So to not be interacted with, is to not interact. An introvert’s wonderland, that would be the easiest way to describe this atmosphere. I've seen dark oceans reflecting an iron sky. Trees wickedly branched out, like ...

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“The Locked Door” by Koen Cooper

Submitted to Contest #134

The Locked Door “Don’t leave the bunker'.' The words rang in the child's ear. He was no younger than 10 and was told by his parents to get into a bunker. “Whatever you do, don't leave the bunker for any reason,” said his father again. “We’re going to town to get extra supplies,” said his mother. “Be a good boy and make sure this place doesn’t get set on fire or something. We’ll be back soon. We love you”. Just like that, there was a loud bang and the steel door was locked. The kid turned around clutching his stuffed blue lobster toy ...

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“Azimuth” by Warner Witherell

Submitted to Contest #134

Zenith was at work when the news broke. He and all his co-workers squeezed into the break room, crowding around the TV. Everyone was quiet, their faces twitching in anticipation, ready to cry or laugh, like they were waiting for the doctor to tell them how the surgery went. There had been something about it on the radio this morning when he was driving to work. Something about light being bent by a massive object passing through a distant system. By the time he got into work it had become much more than that. Everyone was constantly checking...

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“Tides Ablaze” by Brittnie Bowling

Submitted to Contest #134

No wind, no rain, no movement for as far as the eye could see. The captain paced on the deck behind the helm. Ten days they have been stuck in the same place. Bobbing along with the ripples of the current but not progressing anywhere. The captain has traveled these waters for years and has never seen this before. If he didn’t figure something out now, he would probably end up with mutiny on his hands. The captain slammed his fist on the table before he picked up his spyglass, to see just sea and rocks. As he was looking o...

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“A Nameless Horizon” by Christopher Wagner

Submitted to Contest #134

Kai sat back with his legs up on the dashboard, fiddling with a small instrument in his hands. This particular instrument was used not for picking locks, not for any kind of thievery or mischief, but rather for discovery, and exploration. It almost looked like a thermometer, but rather than gauging temperature, it analyzed all of the significant properties of whatever object one used it on. The small ship steered itself, so there was no need for Kai to do anything but wait. Wait for what, you might ask? Well, for ano...

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“Azure Colony” by Daniel Doggett

Submitted to Contest #134

I had 3 weeks to figure out what to do before the sentencing for my inheritance. I couldn't believe that this could happen to me. I never thought that someone would mention me in their will let alone leave me their entire estate. If I had known before my Great uncle had fallen into a coma I would have refused the bequest. He had been in a coma for ten years. In that time the inheritance laws changed, the tax was more a punishment than a fair law. Receiving it would cost me everything. My home was in jeopardy. We could not afford to move into...

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“Not Real” by Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #134

Cyndi Chapman stared anxiously at the road in front of her. It was now noon and she had been driving since four in morning, but she didn't feel at all tired. She was on her way to visit her brother, Isaac. She had not seen her twin brother in a little over five years, since she had graduated high school, and she wondered if he had changed at all. She also worried that he wouldn’t want to see her after all this time. She had good reason to worry about this, for the last time she had seen him he had accused her of betraying him. And he was rig...

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“The Queen of Mars” by 𝗢wen 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿

Submitted to Contest #134

The Queen of Mars walks at ease. She keeps her head bowed as if nodding to those that pass. Her shoes scuff the asphalt. At a dumpster, she raises the lid in hope, but it is empty. Further down, past the Venice sign, closer to the beach, she finds trash cans full of discarded food. Her hair, matted and grey, falls over her face as she reaches inside. Her fingers catch a bag of fries, then part of a burrito wrapped in paper. Straightening, she notices a smear of ketchup in her hair. The Queen of Mars strains it out with her fingers and wipes ...

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$250

Prize money

223

Contest entries

128

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 25, 2022 EST

Won by Story Time 🏆

Title: The Hovering Age

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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